


Of Marriage and Cue Cards

by The_Consulting_Werewolf



Series: We All Need More Krisho in Our Lives (A Domestic AU Series) [1]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Fluff and Humor, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-08-29 11:51:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8488279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Consulting_Werewolf/pseuds/The_Consulting_Werewolf
Summary: In which Yifan proposes marriage to Junmyeon, and Junmyeon runs to the bathroom.





	

“Let’s get married.”

This sudden statement leads to Junmyeon spilling his orange juice down his t-shirt. He puts down the glass on the table and blinks in confusion at, Yifan, his boyfriend, who said those words and is now looking at him with his thick eyebrows raised.

“What? No,” Junmyeon finally says as he grabs a tissue and dabs at the now orange-yellow stain on his white t-shirt. It was a blessing that he wasn’t dressed for work yet and this shirt was more than a decade old, already decorated with various stains.

“Why not?” Junmyeon’s boyfriend whines, and even pouts like the child he is deep down. Whenever Yifan acts this petulant, Junmyeon wonders how he managed to stay with this man for six years.

“Because…” Junmyeon rolls his eyes, and then draws a blank. He thinks and fails to come up with a good reason. They have been together for six years, even moved in together three years ago, and he does love his goofy nerd of a boyfriend to the moon and back. So why not make it official? Yet, he feels unsure. “Because no! I mean this is going too fast for me!”

Junmyeon quickly gets up from the chair and heads for the bathroom. He doesn’t want to have this conversation at seven in the morning. It’s too early for this shit and Junmyeon is very sure he is still half asleep.

Yifan narrows his eyes and watches Junmyeon make his escape. He knew Junmyeon would do this. But he has a plan.

Yifan knows Junmyeon too well. He understands why Junmyeon escaped the conversation this morning. He knows Junmyeon needs time to think, but he also knows that his boyfriend will most probably come up with a reasoning that will only sound logical to him and nobody else. Yifan has seen Junmyeon do this way too many times. So this time, Yifan decides to barrel ahead and he hopes Junmyeon catches up.

He dials his best friend who picks it up with a groggy voice, “Wu fucking Yifan it is ass thirty in the morning. The reason better be good if you are calling me.”

“Luhan,” Yifan gets up and ambles to the balcony. He slides the door close behind him so Junmyeon doesn’t hear him. “It is seven in the morning, you’re supposed to be awake you little shit.”

“Shut up. Not everyone is a morning person, okay? I just don’t roll out of bed and look flawless. I am not Beyoncé and I need to curse everything in existence before I actually wake up.”

“Oh my god, you can’t wake up but you can talk so much bullshit this early. It is amazing.”

“Anyway, what do you want for me?”

“I kind of, uh, proposed to Junmyeon and he scrammed. You were right.” Yifan and Luhan has discussed this over half a bottle of white rum a few weeks ago.

Yifan hears shuffling, which means Luhan is sitting up now. “Look, Junmyeon needs to be convinced why. He is a very logic-driven person. Do you think you can do that?”

Yifan sighs, “Yeah, I think so. I mean, I do love him but if I have to wait for him, I will be waiting forever. And I would wait, but sometimes I feel like he might never meet me halfway.”

Luhan quietens, and Yifan thinks he fell back asleep. Yifan is about to curse his best friend to hell and back when Luhan speaks, “Junmyeon will never speak about it, but I did see his wistful face when Yixing got married. He wants to but he won’t tell you because according to his logic, it will never be the right time. However, don’t force him into anything. Just…do what you feel is right, okay?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Now, let me get my beauty sleep. Goodnight.”

Yifan slips his phone into the pocket of his sweatpants and sighs deeply again. The sliding door shifts and Yifan hears footsteps. He looks over his shoulder and smiles a little at Junmyeon, bewildered how even after all these years, he can’t get over how beautiful his boyfriend is. Junmyeon is dressed in a cream turtleneck and black denim. His wet hair has been dried and is now very fluffy. That tempts Yifan, so he fluffs it some more by running a hand through Junmyeon’s hair. Yifan coos, “You are so cute.”

Junmyeon’s cheek get tinged with the lightest pink as he huffs. “I am not cute.”

Yifan closes his eyes and nods, “Yes, you are extremely vicious…like a baby rabbit.”

Junmyeon grabs the hem of Yifan’s sweatshirt and bites his lips. He mumbles, “About what you said…”

“We will talk about this when you return from work, okay?” Yifan interjects.

Junmyeon looks up and the different emotions in his eyes makes Yifan’s heart lurch. He doesn’t want to rush Junmyeon, but he is afraid that Junmyeon will never actually meet him halfway. And if Junmyeon does say no, Yifan promises himself to be okay with him. He will love his tiny boyfriend no matter what.

“Okay,” Junmyeon nods and throws his arms around Yifan’s waist. He buries his head on Yifan’s chest and takes a deep breath. Yifan smells so comforting. Junmyeon can stay in his embrace all day.

Yifan wraps Junmyeon tighter in his arms and presses him closer. He smiles into Junmyeon’s downy hair. Junmyeon had used his green apple shampoo today.

Junmyeon is a strong man, and he can always hold his own. But sometimes the veneer cracks and he can become a little unsure, a little vulnerable. It makes Yifan’s heart swell with love when Junmyeon trusts him enough to let go like this. And he knows Junmyeon feels unsure and confused right now. Yifan, to assure Junmyeon, quietly says, “I love you.”

Junmyeon’s voice is muffled by Yifan’s t-shirt, but the latter hears him loud and clear when he mumbles, “I love you.”

 

“Teacher!”

The shrill cry jolts Junmyeon. He looks up to find two of his students standing in front of him. It is recess time at the school and an empty classroom led to Junmyeon thinking about his morning and Yifan’s words.

He shakes his head to dispel his thoughts and smiles, “Yes?”

“Teacher? Jihyun fell down and hurt her knees!” a boy of four, Sungkyu says.

Instantly Junmyeon gets to his feet and kneels in front of Jihyun. The girl is quietly sobbing as Junmyeon inspects her wound. To his relief it is nothing serious, just a scrape. He takes her hand and smiles down at her, “You’re a strong girl Jihyun. Now let’s get that cleaned up okay? Thank you Sungkyu.”

He takes Jihyun to the nursery and cleans her wound. As he is about to put an adhesive bandage over her knee, Junmyeon hears a scuffling sound behind him. He looks behind to see Sungkyu awkwardly standing at the entrance. Junmyeon says, “Come in Sungkyu. I didn’t know you followed us. It is recess, you should be with your other friends.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind,” Sungkyu says.

“You don’t have to,” Jihyun shyly says. “You can go play house with Nayeon if you want to.”

Junmyeon notes the pink on Jihyun’s cheeks with much amusement. Sungkyu shakes his head, “No! I only like to play house with you! And Nayeon pushed you, didn’t she?”

“Nayeon pushed her?” Junmyeon butts in their argument. A student pushed another, it is his business now. “Sungkyu, are you sure?”

Jihyun cries out, “No, she didn’t—”

“I saw her!” Sungkyu shouts and grabs the hem of Junmyeon’s sweater. “Nayeon doesn’t like Jihyun because I like her better! I rather play with Jihyun than Nayeon!”

Junmyeon raises his eyebrows at the love triangle that has been cooking under his nose. Whoever said four year olds were uncomplicated beings (the principal said that actually). He picks Jihyun up from the high chair and puts her down on the floor. He crouches and looks into Jihyun’s eyes, “Jihyun, be honest, did Nayeon push you?”

Jihyun bites her lips and gives a small nod. Junmyeon sighs and straightens up. He puts his hands on his hips and gently says, “You two can sit out recess out if you want to in the classroom. Looks like I have to talk to Nayeon.”

Sungkyu gives Junmyeon a huge smile and grabbing Jihyun’s hand, runs out of the nursery. Junmyeon’s shouts at them to slow down, but to no avail, his students don’t pay him any heed. He shakes his head and smiles. Young love and juvenile jealousy. They have all been there.

“What are you doing at the nursery at recess?” Junmyeon looks to his side to see his colleague, Kang Daesung, smiling at him.

“A student of mine scraped her knees due to a playground jealousy fit,” Junmyeon chuckles.

“Jealousy fit?”

“I have a love triangle in my class!”

Daesung laughs. “I had a love quadruple happening last year!”

“That sounds terrible!”

They stand and chitchat for some time. Soon the bell rings and the teachers break off to return to their classes.

As Junmyeon enters his class he finds Sungkyu and Jihyun sitting together drawing with crayons on a single sheet of paper. His heavy footsteps interrupt them and Sungkyu looks up to beam at his teacher, “Jihyun feels a lot better now! Thank you teacher!”

“You are welcome,” Junmyeon smiles and takes a seat across them. Nobody gets to class after recess on time anyway, he has at least five minutes to spare. “What are you two doing?”

“I am drawing our house,” the boy says enthusiastically.

Jihyun is a bit shy, so she ducks her head and blushes, “We couldn’t play house outside, so we are drawing what our house would look like.”

Junmyeon grins and mentally coos at how cute these two are. “Can I see?”

As Jihyun shakes her head, Sungkyu doesn’t check for her reaction and picks up the paper anyway to proudly show it to Junmyeon. The teacher grins down at the drawing, which is no masterpiece but it is still achingly adorable. Sungkyu chirps, “I am the dad and Jihyun will be the mom!”

Junmyeon laughs. “That’s great!”

“Teacher?”

“Hmm?” Junmyeon returns the drawing to Jihyun, who quickly folds it and tucks it in her pocket. He notes that little action with much delight.

“Does teacher have a mom at home?”

At first Junmyeon doesn’t understand Sungkyu’s question. But when he does, he starts blushing. He stutters, “Uh, no. Your teacher is not married Sungkyu.”

“Oh, why aren’t you?”

To hear this question from a four-year-old embarrasses him more than his mom asking him the same question. Thankfully, his other students start trickling in and he gets up from his seat. Nayeon enters and glares at Sungkyu and Jihyun; the boy glares back while the girl ducks behind him. Junmyeon thinks he likes Jihyun and Sungkyu better together. Then he feels silly for even getting involved in his student’s lives. But he is their teacher first so he calmly calls Nayeon to his desk to reprimand her. As punishment, he deems cleaning up the classroom after everyone leaves is good enough.

The rest of Junmyeon’s day passes by and he finds himself thinking about Yifan multiple times throughout the day. He thinks back to the time they first met and how attracted he was to the tall Chinese man at first sight. He never did think that they would come this far. Yifan is easy-going and lives in the present; while Junmyeon has his life organised with colourful post-it notes and is always planning for the future. Does marriage figure out in his plans? Is he ready?

He thinks back to this morning when he had freaked out, and locked himself in the bathroom to hyperventilate. Truth be told, he is trying to convince himself he isn’t ready. But it doesn’t work when he thinks about his life with Yifan for the last six years. It has been wonderful, and there have been stormy patches, but nothing had ever made them stop loving each other.

He sits down in his car and fishes out his phone from his satchel to dial his best friend’s number.

Park Chanyeol picks up in three rings. His deep voice booms, “Hello!”

Junmyeon bites his lip. “Hi, umm, can we talk? You’re not too busy are you?”

“Never too busy for my buddy!”

“Chanyeol, no seriously, it is a serious matter.”

“Okay, okay,” Junmyeon hears the shuffle of some papers. “I am free. I finished my work. You talk.”

“Okay. Here’s the thing—Yifan kind of proposed to me.”

“Proposed? You mean a marriage proposal?” Chanyeol’s voice rises at the second question.

“Yes, Yeol. Can you not shout?”

“Okay, sorry. About time too! We have been waiting for you two get married for years now! Congratulations Jun!”

Junmyeon’s chest tightens at Chanyeol’s joy. “Ah, I didn’t say yes.”

Silence falls on the other end, and it extends for seconds more than acceptable. Junmyeon thinks Chanyeol hung up or something, before his friend starts shouting again, “Seriously? You denied? Are you insane? Where will you ever find a man like Yifan again? They don’t come like that in departmental stores! Do you know you two are like all of our relationship goals? Whenever you two don’t join us for the weekly bar crawl, we get drunk and complain about how perfect you two are! Fine, I know it hasn’t been all perfect and I remember all the nights you camped out in my place, but I also remember Yifan coming every time to apologise to you and get you. Seriously, Jun, why would you say no? I would marry that guy in a heartbeat but I am already married and I am not even gay!”

As Chanyeol collects his breath from his outburst, Junmyeon is stunned silent. Whatever Chanyeol said made a lot of sense, and Junmyeon’s heart pounds. He murmurs, “But—”

“Yeah, I know. You have a twelve-step plan in your life, but is marrying Yifan really a bad thing? Think about it.”

Junmyeon grips the steering wheel so hard, his knuckles turn white. His teeth sink into his lower lip as he ducks his head and thinks. He thinks about gummy smiles, heartfelt apologies, child-like excitement that always melts his heart, warm hands, lazy weekends, drunken kisses, and most of all the security he feels in the love he has for Yifan. Marriage is just a step in life, a new chapter. Being with Yifan forever, bonded in a deeper tie is not a bad thing. And Chanyeol isn’t too wrong.

Junmyeon whispers, “No.”

“There you have it,” Chanyeol sighs. “Now, I know I have no right to tell you what you should do Jun. So, it is all up to you.”

Junmyeon puts his head on the wheel and sighs. “Thanks Yeol. You are the best.”

Chanyeol laughs. “Now go home and get your man!”

The call is disconnected and Junmyeon leans back in his seat. He starts his car and heads home, determined to give Yifan an answer.

 

When Yifan met Junmyeon at a common friend’s Christmas party six years ago, the attraction was instantaneous. Yifan couldn’t take his eyes off Junmyeon and Junmyeon was blushing profusely every time the other was talking to him. Phone numbers were exchanged there and then; friend requests were send the next day and the first date was a week later. And by the fourth (or fifth) date, Yifan knew he was going to spend the rest of his life with Junmyeon, already taken by the beautiful smiles and kind nature.

Junmyeon always wanted to take things slow, while Yifan was his complete opposite. When Junmyeon realised he wanted to be with Yifan for a long time as well, he did say he wasn’t willing to get married soon.

But then the first two people in their friend circle got married. And Yifan could tell Junmyeon was bothered. He could also tell that Junmyeon will never broach the subject with him because of his rigid ‘taking things slow’ philosophy. Junmyeon had a plan for his life, Yifan didn’t, and most of their arguments were a result of their clashing points of view.

So that ends with Yifan making cue cards to convince Junmyeon, to make Junmyeon realise what he has been running away from. It is not a great plan, he knows. But he is confident.

As soon as Junmyeon returns from work that night, Yifan kneels behind the doorway when he spots the former’s car entering the apartment’s parking lot. Junmyeon raises an eyebrow in surprise when he finds his boyfriend kneeling behind the door and presses his lips, “Um what?”

Yifan grabs the stack of huge cue cards and says, “Just don’t say anything, okay?”

“Huh?”

With that Yifan shows him the first card— _10 Reasons as To Why We Should Get Married_.

Junmyeon gasps, “What the—”

Yifan shushes Junmyeon by getting to his feet and placing his finger on his lips. Junmyeon glares at him before Yifan kneels again and reverts his eyes back to the white sheet.

Junmyeon quietly stares as Yifan removes the first card and smiles— _You don’t mind how big of a nerd I am_. Yifan says, “You handle my obsession with basketball, Tokyo Ghoul and Game of Thrones pretty well. It is commendable.

Junmyeon scoffs at the second card— _I don’t care how scarily organised you are_. Yifan chuckles, “I mean seriously, you have a planner. I cannot emphasise how much that scared me when I first met you.” Junmyeon narrows his eyes at Yifan and glares.

Yifan picks up the third card from the floor— _You are beautiful and I want to wake up to your face buried in my chest always_. Junmyeon bites his lips as he feels tears prickling the back of his eyes. Yifan’s voice is soft as he says, “My arm hurts at times, but I will never push you off when you end up with your head on my chest. It is honestly too adorable. You’re too damn adorable.”

Junmyeon tries to hold back his tears as Yifan gets to the fourth card— _No one takes care of me like you do and no one will take care of you better than me._ Yifan cocks his head to the side, his hair falling into his eyes, “I love my mom, but she is in Canada, so she doesn’t have to know I like how you take care of me when I am sick more than how she would. And you already know I will do anything for you.”

A tear slips down Junmyeon’s cheek anyway when Yifan picks up the fifth card— _We understand each other_. Yifan says, “I love you no matter what. I like how we never avoid each other after an argument. I love how we get each other Junmyeon. I love how you know things I said in anger don’t mean anything, and how I know your silence is louder than words. I love how we know when the other needs space and when they don’t.”

Junmyeon has to clap his mouth over his hand when Yifan shows him the sixth card— _You are my best friend_. Yifan ducks his head, “Don’t tell Luhan, but you are my first best friend. I can be my weirdest with you and you would never judge. And isn’t there a saying that marrying your best friend is the best thing? Now I wouldn’t marry Luhan even if someone put a gun to my head, so that leaves you.” Junmyeon grins a little at that.

The seventh card makes Junmyeon roll his eyes and glare down at Yifan— _The sex is great_. Yifan shrugs, “Seriously dude. It is kind of hard to keep control whenever you wear my shirts, or walk out of the shower with a towel around your waist. All pun intended. You are too sexy and it is unfair because I am the one with the height in this relationship. It has been six years but I find it funny how you still make me feel like a hormonal teenager.”

But Junmyeon is back to sobbing when Yifan brandishes the eight card— _I know we are complete opposites but we work_. Yifan explains, “I live my life fast and you like to take things slow. But over the years you have made me realise that some things should be taken slowly, while I made your life fun. We have rubbed off on each other and we are still learning so much. I never want to stop learning.”

Yifan picks up the ninth card and Junmyeon realises Yifan’s eyes are shiny, like he is holding back crying. That makes Junmyeon’s heart lurch and he thinks he has an answer. The penultimate card reads— _I will never find anyone like you, thus I am keeping you forever_. Yifan chuckles, “No lie, an idiot like me won’t be able to strike this lucky again!” Junmyeon too chuckles a little. He is lucky too, and he chastises himself for never realising that.

Finally, Yifan unveils the last card— _I love you so, so much_. Yifan drops the card and smiles up at Junmyeon, “I know you want to wait for the right time, but maybe we will never find the right time. What does right time even mean? So, before we turn grey, let’s get married while we are still young. I mean who looks good at eighty in a tuxedo? I am pretty sure we won’t even be able to stand straight by then.” Yifan reaches for Junmyeon’s hands, who comes closer and slots his hands with the former. “And Junmyeon? I always knew I was going to spend the rest my life with you. I cannot imagine loving anyone else like I love you.”

Yifan holds his breath as Junmyeon smiles and lets go of Yifan’s hand to rub his eyes. When he has wiped his tears off, he drops down to his knees as well and throws his arms around Yifan.

Yifan pulls him closer and tucks his head against the juncture of Junmyeon’s neck and shoulder. And he waits as his heart pounds in his chest.

Junmyeon has been looking for an answer all day, and now he thinks how stupid it was to do that. He always knew the answer. The only reason why he was so blind for so long was because he was afraid his plan for his life would go wrong. But today Yifan showed him, even if it was a bit childish, he still showed how much he loved Junmyeon and his life would still be the same, though different, if they got married.  

So Junmyeon pulls back and cups Yifan’s face. Junmyeon can see the love and fear in Yifan’s eyes, and Junmyeon’s heart soars. He pecks Yifan on his lips. Yifan looks on a bit confused.

Junmyeon’s voice is a low whisper when he says, “Yes.”

**Author's Note:**

> I am trying to finish this other story and feels attacked me  
> (also you may request what you want me to write about but only limited to this universe, for example: their first kiss, the wedding, etc.)


End file.
